We've been hearing from little birds for a while now that the Old Spaghetti Factory on the UW Tacoma campus would be moving. Now it looks like it's official - the Italian-ish restaurant, which has been the site of family dinners and memories for much of Tacoma and the surrounding area for the last

I would like to start off by introducing myself - my name is Alan, and I am the newest member to the Exit133 writing team. I will be providing you with events happening each week in our local community. If you want, you can think of me as your event

We've been hearing a bit of buzz about something new from the YWCA called the 253 Club. This week we're learning a little more... including an opportunity to be there at the kick-off event for the new program.

The YWCA Pierce County started an Associate Board earlier this year focused on getting

One commenter spoke regarding the Citizen Commission on Elected Salaries, commenting that she was saddened by how late in the game the appointments are being made, given her understanding that there is a September 1 deadline. She asked that the council consider extending the

When we look at the list of important topics up for discussion on deck at the City this week, it sure doesn't feel like summer vacation - Comprehensive Plan updates, citizen-police relations, transportation funding mechanisms... hardly light summer reading...

No, really, it's pretty darn cute. The baby moose, the first to be born at Metro Parks' Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in 15 years, has all the adorableness of Bambi, with the endearing awkwardness of Bullwinkle. Take a moment, watch the video, share it with your co-workers. Monday win...

An article on Next City today takes a look at Tacoma - the revitalization of its downtown, and questions around livability for all residents of the city - especially some of those with lower incomes. The title of the article asks a question:

July 10 - August 2, 2015
Fridays & Saturdays, at 8:00 PM and Saturdays & Sundays, at 2:00 PM
The world’s greatest love story takes to the streets in this landmark Broadway musical that is one of the theater’s finest accomplishments. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern-day New

The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) is pleased to announce that we will be offering American Sign Language (ASL) instruction for beginners at the BEST Learning Center in University Place, Washington . In this dynamic eight week course for adults, participants will be introduced to ASL with a

Does your child enjoy making anything a musical instrument? Will they happily play encore after encore? This week at the Job Carr Cabin may add to the “treble”. Today, kids from 3-8 years old are able to learn about music through American Folk Music and constructing a Popsicle Stick Harmonica. Make

According to Wired, of the roads drivers in the San Francisco and Oakland area contend with, 74% are rated "poor," costing them an average of $1,044 per year in additional maintenance and fuel. That's the most of any major metropolitan area in the US, and way above the national average of 28% for major roads. The extra costs come from repairs, increased maintenance and fuel costs, and shortened life-spans for vehicles on these failing roads.

We've read past estimates that the rate of roads in "poor" or "failed" state in Tacoma neighborhoods ranges from 14% in Northeast Tacoma to 55% in the Central and North End neighborhoods. Those numbers are a bit out of date, but the City is in the process of wrapping up a survey of the condition of Tacoma's roads that will give a more current picture. Don't expect it to be any rosier.

Two propositions that will appear on this November's ballot will give Tacoma voters the chance to decide whether they want to increase utility, property, and sales taxes in the city to pay for improvements to our roads. Estimates are that Tacoma's Prop 3 and Prop 4 would cost the average household under $100 per year. Like so many things, when you compare that to the San Francisco numbers it doesn't sound like so much... maybe?

Lauren Walker, the Tacoma City Councilmember who represents District 3 (central Tacoma), runs into the end of her term limits this year, and will be stepping down from her seat on the council dais.

The race to replace her is one of the more crowded council races we've seen in Tacoma in recent years, with seven names appearing on the primary ballot for District 3 voters to choose from. When the dust settles and the primary votes are counted next month, only two of those names will advance to the November election. The News Tribune's Kate Martin interviewed six of the candidates (Robert Hill, with his multiple convictions and restraining orders, was left out). The question: "How do you think Tacoma should plan for future growth?"

It's not an uncommon sentiment - here in Tacoma, or elsewhere, for that matter - that a politician who makes decisions that please the business community is in their pocket.

It's a simple story to tell - that there are two separate and opposite camps, one pro-business, the other pro-worker, and that politicians and citizens alike can easily be placed on one side or the other of the invisible dividing line.

But are things really that clear-cut? Matt Driscoll asks "Is 'business-owner,' by definition, a partisan position?" And, particularly as we take a probably brief breather from the bruising commentary around the minimum wage, is "business owner" necessarily the opposite of "working people?"

Gadfly may not be a word we use every day, but it's the most common one we've heard used to describe Tacoma's John Hathaway. Hathaway passed away last week at age 69.

He came onto the public stage around the tragic events surrounding Police Chief David Brame's high-profile shooting of his wife, Crystal, and himself in 2003. Hathaway scooped the story of the couple's divorce, and allegations that the police chief was an abusive husband.

sIn later years Hathaway continued to challenge local government, fostering lively... discussion via his regular email and later on his blog, The New Takhoman. We sat next to him at ...